Weekly Hand Analysis - Glenna Shannahan - February 27, 2023 - Overcall cue bid

 

Question:  The 2H bid by South could be considered a Michaels cuebid and is probably incorrect for South's 19 HCP hand.  What is South's correct overcall?

Glenna:

  You are correct in that we do not cuebid the opponent’s suit without a specific holding and this hand is totally wrong for a cuebid. South should make a takeout double (TOX) to show shortness in opener’s suit and support for the other 3 suits.  BUT when S has 18 or more points, the rule changes. Now S can make a takeout double with any shape and then a bid of a new suit shows 18 or more points.

  Since most hands we are dealt do not follow all our rules or guidelines, we have to be flexible in our bidding. With ♥️ stopped twice and shortness in ♦️, I would have overcalled 1NT which shows 15-18 even though I have 19 points. One point is not going to make a great difference in the final result, we often have to be off in our bidding by a point in ORDER to make a bid that BEST DESCRIBES our hand. Players must remember that when we open 1 NT, we usually have only 3 suits stopped and when we overcall NT, we have the opponent’s suit stopped but can have no stopper in the 4th suit. The LHO (left hand opponent) is going to lead his partner’s suit—♥️ and you have 2 stoppers.

  Competitive Bidding is what makes bridge so challenging and so much fun, but you need to learn the rules or you end up with very bad boards. Worst yet, you end up with very unhappy partners.

Hope this helps,

Glenna